Software Quality Assurance Manager 2

Full-time, on-site position in Northridge, CA. No remote/telework arrangement available. Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government DoD Secret clearance. Travel required: 10% of the time.

About the role

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage, and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way.

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems (DS) is seeking a Software Quality Assurance Manager 2 to join our Advanced Weapons Business Unit. Our Advanced Weapons team designs, develops, and manufactures missile systems that support U.S. national and allied security objectives.

Responsibilities

• Quality Strategy & Planning – Define and maintain the SQA strategy aligned with DoD standards (e.g., MIL-STD-498, MIL-STD-2167A, DODAF, DI-COT, DoD Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification – CMMC). Develop and enforce a comprehensive Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) for each program, including verification & validation (V&V) schedules, metrics, and risk mitigation actions.
• Process & Compliance – Oversee implementation of software development processes (Agile, Scrum, or Waterfall) that satisfy Earned Value Management (EVM), Capability Maturity Model Integrated (CMMI) Level 3, and Software Configuration Management (SCM) requirements. Conduct internal audits, prepare for external CDRL reviews, and ensure compliance with ISO 9001, IEC 61508, CMMI, and applicable defense acquisition regulations.
• Test Management – Direct functional, integration, system, and acceptance testing on simulators, hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) rigs, and field environments. Manage automated test frameworks, continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, and static/dynamic analysis tools (e.g., DO-178C, MISRA-C, Coverity, SonarQube).
• Defect Management – Establish defect tracking policies, prioritize root-cause analysis, and coordinate corrective actions across development teams. Monitor defect density, mean time to detect/resolve, and trend data to drive process improvements.
• Team Leadership – Recruit, train, and mentor SQA engineers, test pilots, and subject-matter experts. Conduct performance reviews, define career development paths, and foster a culture of quality and security awareness.
• Stakeholder Coordination – Interface with program managers, system engineers, customers, and government auditors to communicate quality status, risks, and mitigation plans. Prepare and present quality reports, dashboards, and risk assessments to senior leadership and contract officers.
• Continuous Improvement – Lead lessons-learned sessions, implement Kaizen/Lean initiatives, and update process documentation to reflect evolving defense standards and emerging cyber threats.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field with 8+ years of software development experience in the defense sector OR Master’s degree with 6+ years of the same experience. 12 years of experience required in lieu of a formal degree.
• 3+ years of experience in a supervisory or lead SQA role.
• Proven expertise with defense standards such as MIL-STD-498, DO-178C, CMMC, ISO 9001, IEC 61508, and related acquisition regulations.
• Hands-on experience with test automation and CI/CD tools (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI), defect-tracking systems (JIRA, DOORS), static analysis tools (Coverity, Polyspace), and simulation environments.
• Demonstrated success leading internal and external audits, CDRL reviews, and compliance assessments.
• Strong people-management skills, with the ability to motivate cross-functional teams under tight schedules.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government DoD Secret clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Quality Engineer (ASQ CQE) or Certified Software Quality Engineer (ASQ CSQE).
• Experience with safety-critical systems (e.g., missile guidance, command-and-control).
• Knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks (NIST 800-53, RMF, DoD Cybersecurity Strategy).
• Exposure to Agile-Scaled frameworks (SAFe) applied to defense contracts.
• Exposure to working with DCMA, NAVAIR, and TPO.

Pay

Primary level salary range: $146,600.00 – $219,800.00. The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills, and current market conditions. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage.
• Life and disability insurance.
• Savings plan.
• Company-paid holidays.
• Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.